She was also obviously stubborn as hell and didn’t obey worth a damn. She’d been advised to stop for the night, and didn’t. Then he’d told her he would help her out of the car, and she’d ignored him. She definitely needed her bottom warmed up and to be taught a lesson about listening to reason.
Despite her earlier bravado, she was looking pretty damn nervous. Her eyes were huge, and she was chewing on her bottom lip. His open perusal of her had made her uncomfortable, and he averted his gaze quickly. He was a Dom, for fuck’s sake, and one look at this woman had his cock standing at attention and his breathing heavy. It hadn’t been that long since he’d had a woman, had it? He took a few deep breaths to get control of his wayward hormones.
“I hope you like beef stew. I put some biscuits in the oven to go with it.”
She gave him a shy smile, and he noticed how pink and full her lips were.
“Please let me help, um…You know my name, but I don’t know yours.”
Just being close to this woman was scrambling his brains. “Sorry, I forgot to introduce myself. I’m Cameron Hunter. Please, call me Cam.”
“Hunter? You’re related to Brody, Abby’s fiancé? We’re going to be family. That’s great. Now how can I help? You’ve already gone above and beyond the call of duty tonight with rescuing me.”
“After Abby told me you insisted on driving in the storm, I figured you’d need all the help you could get. I’m only sorry I didn’t come for you earlier, but I only found out after dinner. If you want to help, you can set the table, if you like.”
Cam nodded toward a cabinet, and Noelle pulled out bowls and flatware.
“We don’t have any wine to help you warm up, but there are some beers in the refrigerator. So, do you like beef stew? You aren’t one of those vegans, are you?”
She laughed, the sound almost musical. She seemed like a nice person, in addition to being one of the most beautiful women he had met in a very long time. Some women would have bitched and complained about getting wet, the food, the accommodations, but Noelle had been nothing but sweet and polite.
“Hardly. I’m a meat-and-potatoes girl, and a beer sounds great. Can I get you one, too?”
Cam nodded and stirred the beef stew, struggling to make conversation. He wasn’t a talkative man by nature, so small talk didn’t come easily to him. He wasn’t shy. He just didn’t say something unless he had something to say. He never understood those people who were always on their cell phones. Just what were they jabbering about all the time anyway? Noelle saved him from finding a topic.
“So is my sister driving you crazy with all this wedding stuff? Are she and Brody disgustingly in love and all kissy-kissy with each other? Don’t be afraid to make her sleep in your barn. I assume you have a barn?”
Cam smiled. She was funny as well as beautiful and polite.
“A couple, actually. The wedding stuff hasn’t been too bad. Brody isn’t a kissy-kissy type, but Abby is very affectionate. He seems to enjoy it.”
Cam had been a little envious that Brody had a woman who loved and cared about him that much. It had been a very long time since Cam had a special woman in his life. The older he got, the more he wanted to settle down with one woman he could make the center of his world. Someone who would submit in the bedroom and challenge him everywhere else.
“Well, I hope they like the rings I designed for them. A wedding ring is so personal, and they just told me to do anything I liked. It was kind of nerve-racking. I don’t want them to be disappointed.”
Noelle brushed past him as she set the bowls and silverware on the table. Her skin was warm, and her tantalizing scent teased his nostrils.
“I’m sure they’ll love what you’ve done. I’d love to see it.”
“They’re locked away in my luggage. Speaking of luggage, will they be safe in my car all night? I suppose I’m asking a little late in the process. I was so happy to see you, I didn’t even think to grab them.”
“You had other things on your mind. They’ll be fine. The road is private. No one should be on it unless they’re headed to the ranch, and no one would be headed to the ranch on a night like this.”
“Except me.”
“Except you. But I can’t say Abby didn’t warn us about you. She said you’re a full-speed-ahead type of person. Fearless, I believe is the word she used.”
He turned off the stove and pulled open the oven. “I think this stew is heated up. The biscuits are ready to come out of the oven. I’m starved, and you must be, too. Let’s get you fed and in bed.”
He could have bitten off his tongue as he watched the heat flood Noelle’s face. He tried to smooth it over and pretend he didn’t notice.
“You must be exhausted. You can take the bedroom, and I’ll sleep out here. The couch folds out.”
Noelle shook her head. “You should take the bed. You rescued me, after all.”
She didn’t know him very well, but she would need to learn he didn’t say or do things he didn’t mean. He also found himself wanting to coddle and protect, and dominate this tiny woman. His Dom instincts were in overdrive—the protective, the disciplinary, and the sexual. There was something about this woman that brought them to the fore. He knew she wasn’t normally this easygoing. Abby’s tales of Noelle’s stubbornness and her gorgeous red hair spoke of a woman who needed a strong man to love and care for her. He wondered if she had such a man in her life. He doubted it since she had no problem picking up her life and coming to Montana to help her sister.
He’d been alone a long time, and he was honest enough with himself to admit she was the first woman in years who interested him on more than just a sexual level. He wanted to get to know her better. A lot better. Luckily, she was staying for several weeks to help with the wedding. Was she submissive, too? Could he be that lucky?
“No, you’ll take the bedroom. I’ll be fine.” She opened her mouth, but he held up his hand. “No arguments. I insist.”
He used his best Dom voice, and she quickly acquiesced. Interesting.
“Well, thank you. You certainly are a gentleman. I’m not sure I remember spending time with a man as chivalrous as you are.”
“Perhaps you’re spending time with the wrong kind of men. Here in Montana, we take care of our women. Now let’s eat and you can tell me all about you and Abby growing up.”
Cam smiled inwardly. He had time to get to know this woman, and he was going to enjoy every single second of it. She didn’t know it yet, but he was a man in pursuit of a beautiful woman. Something he hadn’t been in a very long time.
* * * *
Noelle wriggled her toes in front of the roaring fire. She was toasty warm, full from dinner, and a little sleepy from the beer. They were relaxing in front of the fireplace. She had told Cam about her childhood, her book club friends, and her jewelry design business. Cam had told her he loved the outdoors, had thought about being a doctor instead of a rancher, and relaxed by watching sports and reading. He wasn’t just gorgeous, he was smart and nice, too. An irresistible combination.
He was also, obviously, older than Brody. When his hair had dried, she had seen the strands of silver running through it, and his eyes had some crinkles around them when he smiled. She wondered how much older than Brody’s twenty-five he was. He appeared to be about thirty-five or maybe forty. She knew some men went gray early. She was almost thirty herself and hadn’t yet seen a gray hair, but it didn’t mean they weren’t around the corner.
She smiled in contentment as Cam shook his head at her statement. They were discussing politics, and so far they hadn’t agreed on a thing. It was okay, though. They’d both agreed on their love for their careers and a preference for dogs over cats.
“People need to stand on their own two feet. Be independent. A society of dependence can never be truly free.”
He took a sip from his beer and crossed his long legs in front of him. His shirt was unbuttoned halfway, and she could see the sprinkling of dark hair that covered his muscular ch
est. She wondered if it continued down those flat abs and to his cock. The bulge in his pants was impressive, and she found herself glancing at it way too often.
“I agree, Cam. But sometimes people need a hand up.”
“A hand up, not a handout.”
“How do you define a handout? If a mother and her children are homeless is it a handout or a hand up to give them food and shelter?”
“Why can’t she get a job?”
“Because people who don’t have addresses can’t get jobs. Also, how is she going to find a job? She has no way to get cleaned up for an interview or get a phone call or e-mail from a prospective employer.”
“She shouldn’t have had kids she couldn’t support.”
“Okay, let’s say she made bad choices. She didn’t take proper precautions and had kids she couldn’t support well. Then she lost her job and then her home. Maybe she got sick or one of her kids did. Should the kids suffer for her choices? Starve? Never be warm? You don’t really believe that, do you?”
Cam’s mouth twisted. “Of course not. Fuck, I’m not some heartless asshole. Listen, I’m not against homeless shelters or free clinics. I’m against a society that wants everything to be easy. Life isn’t easy, for fuck’s sake. It’s hard damn work.”
Noelle smiled at Cam’s vehemence. “On this we can agree. I think people do want things to be easy. So many aren’t willing to put in the hard work.”
“Are you?”
She laughed at the question. If only he knew just how hard she’d had to work. “Yes. Believe me, I couldn’t have built my business without a lot of hard work. I suspect you work pretty hard, too.”
Cam nodded grimly. “Long, hard days. The SEALs have a saying, ‘The only easy day was yesterday.’ That’s how it is on a ranch. Dirty, physical, sweaty work during the day and a pile of paperwork in the evenings.”
“But you love it?”
Cam nodded. “I do. I thought about being a doctor for a while, but ranching is in my blood. It’s my heritage. I look over the land and think about how generations of my family built this with grit and determination. It isn’t easy. It’s worth it.”
She liked the way he respected the past. As an artist, she respected those who came before her. She liked his no-nonsense attitude and his passion for his work. She liked Cam Hunter way too much.
Cam held up his empty beer bottle with a smile.
“Another beer?”
Noelle shook her head. She was already sleepy enough. And maybe a little tipsy. Or perhaps it was the company of the handsomest man she’d ever met that made her light-headed?
Cam poked at the fire.
“You should head to bed. You look tuckered out.”
Noelle yawned at the mere mention of sleep.
“I’ve had a big day. It’s not every day I’m rescued from a storm and fed biscuits and beef stew by firelight.”
Cam laughed and got to his feet, holding out his hand to help her.
“Never let it be said I don’t know how to sweep a lady off her feet. The beer was imported.”
She joined in the laughter and let him pull her to her feet. She hated for the evening to end. He was smart, funny, and charming. She could have talked to him for hours. A swift glance at the clock told her she practically had. It was well past midnight.
She stood close to him, his scent filling her nostrils and arousing senses that had lain dormant for quite a while. She hadn’t met a man in a long time who affected her so strongly. In fact, she couldn’t ever remember feeling this so quickly. A little voice in her head told her to play it cool and cautious, but it just wasn’t in her nature.
“Well, good night. Thank you again for rescuing me and the dinner and the dry clothes.”
Cam gave her a wry smile. “Such as they are. I’m glad I was able to rescue you. Get some sleep. You’ll see Abby in the morning.”
He pushed her long hair off her shoulder, and she froze as his fingers brushed her cheek, sending a streak of pleasure straight to her pussy. The skin burned where his fingers had touched her. He dropped his hand quickly.
She started heading for the bedroom. She needed some space between them. Suddenly, the air had been filled with…desire and anticipation. She liked to grab at life, but she wasn’t going to sleep with this man only hours after meeting him. That wasn’t in her nature either.
She paused at the hallway to glance back at him. His expression was intense, his features grim. He felt it, too.
“Good night, Cam. See you in the morning.”
She climbed into bed, but it was a long time until she slept. Just when you least expect your life to take a turn, it does.
Her thoughts were filled with the man in the next room. Her time in Montana would be interesting, no doubt. She just needed to try and not lose her head. Or her panties.
Chapter Two
The sun was shining, and Noelle craned her neck to get a better look at the massive ranch house up ahead, as they drove up the long driveway. She was sorry her time with Cam was coming to an end.
She was also very attracted to him. Very. By the time she had headed off to bed last night, her whole body had ached with desire. She wondered if he had felt the same pull toward her as she did him. She would never have slept with him last night, but her body had put up a good fight. Several times she had woken and thought about joining him on the fold-out couch.
“Abby’s going to be real happy to see you. You’ll get to meet most of the family, too. Don’t let them overwhelm you. If they start making you crazy, you just come to me. I’ll protect you.”
Noelle smiled. She knew Cam was only joking, but she liked his protective manner. In any other man, it would have been annoying, but with this man, it fit.
“I’m sure they’ll be fine. Was Abby overwhelmed?”
She and her sister didn’t come from a large family.
“No, but she had Brody there to run interference.”
The Land Rover pulled up to the front of the house, and Noelle pushed the car door open as a stream of people rushed out of the front door. Noelle immediately recognized Abby running straight for her. She held out her arms for her baby sister.
“Abby, I made it!”
Abby grabbed and hugged her tightly. No one would know they were sisters by looking at them. Abby was tall, willowy, and blonde. The only thing they had in common was the unusual color of their eyes. Not quite brown, not quite gold, they had inherited their mother’s amber eyes. It was those amber eyes that were bright with unshed tears.
“Elle, I’m so glad you’re here! I was so worried about you and Cam in the storm.”
Noelle hugged her sister one more time before giving her a wry smile.
“I know, and I’m sorry. Thank you for sending him, by the way. I’d probably be coyote chow by now if you hadn’t.”
“No way we’d let you get eaten by coyotes, Noelle. Can I call you Noelle? I’m Brody Hunter, your soon-to-be brother-in-law.”
An extremely handsome young man held out his hand with a big smile. He had brown hair, blue eyes, and dimples. Abby was a lucky woman. He was a real cutie, and looked a lot like Cam. She shook his hand with a smile.
“Yes, please call me Noelle. It’s very nice to meet you finally. I’ve heard so much about you. About you and your family.”
The family appeared to be lined up on the steps of the wraparound porch. The two handsome men giving her flirtatious smiles looked just enough like Brody to be his brothers. There was also an older woman and an older man with silver just touching the wings of his closely cropped hair. Both man and woman were handsome and had welcoming smiles on their faces. Brody waved to the young men first.
“These are my twin older brothers, Caden and Lucas. That’s my Uncle Colt and his wife, Julie. They live in the house just a couple of miles from here on the ranch. They’ve got three sons and a daughter, but they weren’t able to greet you this morning.”
Noelle began shaking hands but wondered if Cam wasn’t a brot
her, was he a cousin of some sort?
“And of course, you’ve met my dad, Cameron Hunter. We hope you enjoy your stay here, Noelle.”
The air sucked from her lungs, and the world tilted sideways. Cam Hunter was Brody’s dad.
Outstanding. I want to fuck the brains out of Abby’s future father-in-law.
* * * *
Cam held the mug of steaming coffee between his hands and stared unseeingly at the back pasture. After Noelle had been introduced to his family, he had taken her suitcases to her room and headed out here to the barn to lick his wounds.
“Hidin’ out here, Cam?”
Cam’s brother, Colt, was heading right for him. No way could he avoid this conversation. He fought his irritation at the interruption and set the coffee down with a sigh. Except for his bedroom and man cave, which everyone knew was sacred, he was never really alone here at the ranch. It didn’t bother him most of the time, but right now he could do without his brother’s company.
“Or are you pouting?”
Cam gave his brother a scathing look. “Pouting? Are you fucking kidding me? Why would I be pouting?”
Colt chuckled and went to pour himself a cup of coffee from the coffeemaker they kept running all day long in the barn. Ranching was a twenty-four-hour-a-day business.
“Because that pretty little filly abandoned you and headed to spend time with her sister instead. She’s a looker, Cam. You always did have good taste.”
“I hardly see how my taste in women comes into this, Colt. If she had been a dog, I wouldn’t have left her to freeze and starve in her car last night.”
Colt sat down on a bale of hay and stretched out his long legs with a chuckle, sipping his coffee. “No, but you wouldn’t have been so territorial this morning when you brought her home. You damn near peed on her in front of your sons to mark your ownership.”
Cam was not amused. His brother could be a real asshole sometimes.
“I was not territorial. She doesn’t belong to me.”
Colt laughed. “Yet. You had your arm around her like she was a prize and a furious scowl for Caden and Lucas when they were giving her the eye. You want her. Admit it. You want to put a collar around her neck. Damn, big brother, it’s about time.”
His Submissive Jewel [The Martinis and Chocolate Book Club 3] (Siren Publishing Everlasting Classic) Page 2
